Nautical superstitions?

[Phil Herring]

Red sky at night? Albatross mishaps? Renaming a boat? There are more nautical superstitions than you can shake a stick at.

Do superstitions play any role in your boat ownership? Are they based on ancient wisdom or chronic ignorance?

 

[Kings Gambit]

“Red sky“ appears to be more than superstition; perhaps ancient wisdom. I read at one of the links John posted a few weeks ago that red sky indicates fair, or clear, weather. Weather moves west to east, alternating between high pressure (clear) and low pressure (stormy) skies. At sunset, looking west, red sky means that clear weather (high pressure) is approaching. At sunrise, looking east, red sky means that clear weather has passed your location and the alternate of stormy weather (low pressure) that follows it from the west is approaching, etc. Thus, “red sky at night, sailors’ delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” I have on a few occasions in past seasons put some expectations in that indicator (if it agreed with the NOAA weather forecast!).

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Now that you mention it. I am scheduling departure on Friday to deliver our boat to New Jersey from Massachusetts (gulp) and I didn't even consider any superstitions. Is this providence? It we anchor Friday night, should that just be considered a "day sail" or am I in danger of angering any Gods? It's not like we are making a voyage in the sense that Sterling Hayden would define it.

 

[dLj]

I found the name changing superstition to be different according to different sailing cultures. In the anglo world, you aren't supposed to change a boats name whereas in the Spanish world it is expected, with essentially the same interpretation, not following the "norm" was thought to bring bad luck.

I've always felt breaking a good bottle of champagne to launch a boat to be rather a waste of good champagne. But to give a bit of whiskey to Neptune as one starts out seems just simply courteous...

dj

 

[Kings Gambit]

“I found the name changing superstition to be different according to different sailing cultures.”

Changing the names of boats is common by my observation. Commercial boats or ships that are purchased used, refitted, and then assigned new purpose are renamed. Folks using “legacy names” will keep that one name they like and put it on each new boat they acquire (in succession). I’ve changed the name of each boat I’ve bought, beginning with the first, although never using a name more than once.

There’s no Neptune’s Curse on boats having name changes generally. Only those lacking proper ceremony. You have to inform Neptune in ceremony of the change so he can remove that name from his “list” and add the new one, and then you seek his continued blessings on the vessel! Of course nowadays, it’s the Government that maintains the “list.” The “ceremony“ today is an application and a check. So now who will rescue you in a tempest? Neptune or the USCG?

 

[Justin_NSA]

I honestly believe most superstition was based on common sense at one time. Not always.


The lookout sees a pirate ship sailing their way. The captain shouts to his first mate, "Bring me my red shirt." The first mate brings the red shirt and the captain puts it on. And when the pirates try to board, the brave captain leads his men to victory. A few days later, the lookout screams, "Two pirate ships!" The crew is shivering like scared mice. But the courageous captain hollers, "Bring me my red shirt!" After the battle, the first mate asks, "Captain, why do you call for your red shirt before battle?" The captain replies, "So that if I am stabbed, you will not see me bleed." The next morning the lookout screams, "10 pirate ships! We are surrounded!" The crew goes silent. They all look to their brave captain, waiting for his usual command. Calm as ever, the captain bellows... "Bring me my brown pants!"

 

[dLj]

Changing the names of boats is common by my observation. Commercial boats or ships that are purchased used, refitted, and then assigned new purpose are renamed. Folks using “legacy names” will keep that one name they like and put it on each new boat they acquire (in succession). I’ve changed the name of each boat I’ve bought, beginning with the first, although never using a name more than once. There’s no Neptune’s Curse on boats having name changes generally. Only those lacking proper ceremony. You have to inform Neptune in ceremony of the change so he can remove that name from his “list” and add the new one, and then you seek his continued blessings on the vessel! Of course nowadays, it’s the Government that maintains the “list.” The “ceremony“ today is an application and a check. So now who will rescue you from a tempest? Neptune or the USCG?

I'd forgotten about the need to "inform Neptune" here if you are changing the name.

In Spain it's just expected for you to change the boats name. It's done quite unceremoniously.

dj

 

[capta]

“Red sky“ appears to be more than superstition; perhaps ancient wisdom.

I take this to be more of a China Clipper tradewinds related saying. As the winds in the trades generally blow east to west, a red sky in the morning would indicate clouds (squalls?) to windward and in the evening they'd be down wind, already passed.

 

[Kingjim91]

I think a renaming ceremony is a fun thing to do, to make the boat your own. But as for supernatural benefits or curses.....nah.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Of course they arise from practical thinking . Take the old superstition that sailors shouldn't learn to swim. It is reasoned that to prepare for desaster is to invite desaster, therefore learning to swim is to prepare for the time when you will need to swim. For a sailor, that is a time of desaster.

The real reason behind that superstition is much more mundane. Sailors, being human, are susceptible to peer-pressure, as well as class envy. Because most sailors didn't grow up in the wealthy class, few learned to swim for recreation. To reassure their own fragile (human) egos, they would proceed to inform the entitled young officer who thought it a good idea that his sailors learn to swim, that he was being daft and would only bring desaster upon the ship he sailed aboard because he was insensitive enough to have learned to swim.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[justsomeguy]

Bananas on board. Or rather no bananas on board.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Last night, a black cat ran across the entrance to our building just as I was leaving work. This morning, a black cat ran across the country road that I was driving to work. I'm beginning to wonder why you had to start this damn thread!

 

[Davidasailor26]

Last night, a black cat ran across the entrance to our building just as I was leaving work. This morning, a black cat ran across the country road that I was driving to work. I'm beginning to wonder why you had to start this damn thread!

Congrats on your purchase and have a fun delivery trip. I heard that sharing pictures of the delivery for others to enjoy can offset two black cats.

 

[dLj]

I heard that sharing pictures of the delivery for others to enjoy can offset two black cats.

Only if shared within a reasonable time frame. Taking too long exacerbates the black cat effect....

Jus' sayin'

dj

 

[bawlmer]

I got jammed up in the renaming superstitions. Quarter under the mast, rum over the side, human sacrifice-OH WAIT, I can't do that one. When I lived in FL we had a retired minister in my seaside community that used to do renaming ceremonies. That is really my only nautical superstition.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I missed our club's annual Blessing of the Fleet last weekend.

 

[Dalliance]

I’ve heard that both bananas and black bags on board bring bad luck.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Large bunches of bananas fresh from Jamaica, like the song says, "hide de deathly black tarantula." Maybe that's why black bags are bad too. And I don't know how many hapless sailor's have mistaken a black tarantula for their black cat. Really it was the black rum to blame.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Rick486]

On Maxine, the first drink after setting the hook goes overboard to thank the Old Man of the Sea for a safe passage. Without fail.

 

[Will Gilmore]

-Will (Dragonfly)